San Francisco police chief kicks off safety program for kids going back to school

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco public school kids are going back to class on Monday And the interim police chief is taking no chances with their safety by kicking off a new operation that you need to know about if you drive in the city.

Did you know each year, 30 pedestrians are killed in San Francisco and another 200 are injured?

With the school year beginning next week, interim San Francisco Police Department Chief Toney Chaplin unveiled a back-to-school safety operation. "Our goal is to promote the safe arrival and departure of students on foot or bicycle and to send a message that traffic violations will be enforced not only during this critical week, but throughout the school year," he said.

Chaplin joined health, traffic, CHP officials and crossing guards in announcing this safety operation.

Throughout next week, police will crack down in neighborhoods with the highest injury rates.

They'll target the following actions that threaten kids' safety such as: Speeding, failure to yield to pedestrians, bike lane violations, and passing a school bus with flashing red lights on.

CHP officers will help out in full force on Monday to help kick off the enforcement effort.

"Fewer accidents happen when people obey the rule and when they make good choices," Capt. Chris Sherry said.

This operation is part of the city's Vision Zero initiative to have zero fatalities by the year 2024.